Each disc also represents an investment back into the country represented musically. Either in the shape of a percentage of the proceeds being designated to a specific charitable organization, or in building a new perception of the people living there. Most of North America can't hear the name Columbia without thinking cocaine. These musical discs and the information in their booklets may not change people's attitudes completely, but they at least present a different perspective of the country in question.
Of all the arts that represent a culture, music seems to be the one able to communicate to the broadest audience. Perhaps, no matter the language, music has the capacity to communicate emotions that is easier to understand than other means of expression. A dance rhythm is a dance rhythm in every culture, and if you can move your feet and butt to it, communication has been successful.
The music Putumayo produces may not always be to everyone's taste, but it would be a poor world if we all only liked the same things. Besides, they produce enough music you're bound to find something pleasing to your pallet.
Putumayo has to be the most instantly recognizable world music label on the market right now and their attempts to bring the music of the world to the world seems to be succeeding. With everyone from Wal-Mart to fair trade boutiques selling their CDs the chances are they will continue to do so for years to come.
This is the first of two a part feature on World Music and specifically the Putumayo label. In the second part I will be interviewing Putumayo's founder Dan Stroper on specifics of how the label operates and give him a chance to respond to some of the criticisms made against the world music genre in general. Look for it in the near future
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Article comments
1 - dj earball
Thanks for the thoughtful article! I have long appreciated Putumayo, and learned a few new things from this piece. When I first was digging into "world music" I thought Putumayo was amazing. Actually, I still think so, though I now know much more and have become acquainted with some of the other fish in the sea. Putumayo does a great job at introducing listeners to new artists, but you won't find a great deal of diverse sounds within any single compilation. It's a very different approach from, say, World Music Network, whose Rough Guides often take a wider variety of tunes falling under the umbrella of a nation or a musical style. Not that one is right or wrong; they're just different approaches, and will appeal to different listeners. The curious will find both to be great jumping off points for further explorations in global sounds.